Sound Transit sets budget, schedule for Northgate extension

The Seattle Sound Transit Board of Directors adopted a lifetime budget and schedule to extend light rail from the University of Washington to the Northgate area north of Seattle. Sound Transit expects to break ground on the North Link project this summer and open for service in 2021.

The 4.3-mile line will feature stations at Northgate Mall, the Roosevelt neighborhood and the University District near the west side of the University of Washington campus. The adopted lifetime budget is $2.1 billion. Voters approved building North Link as part of the 2008 ballot measure that included 36 miles of light-rail extensions to the north, east and south of Seattle. A light-rail extension from Northgate to Lynnwood is scheduled to open in 2023.

North Link will connect with the University Link light-rail line at the University of Washington Station near Husky Stadium. University Link is scheduled to open in 2016.